These days, my desk at the north side of CTA overlooks this view modest yet charming peek at the rooftops of Chelsea. Sure, it’s not as posh as Central Park South or as iconic as the Empire State Building, but by my estimate, this particular view is way more “New York.”

It’s urban, it’s gritty, it’s cramped, it’s probably smelly on a hot day, and it’s nevertheless a little bit breathtaking. What it lacks in glamour it more than makes up for in authenticity, a lived-in and unassuming je ne sais quoi that I have the pleasure of knowing on a daily basis.